North Bloomfield School
Why it's listed
Built between 1827 and 1829 by the First Universalist Society of Lima, this two-story brick building on Martin Road in North Bloomfield was first a meeting house for worship and social gatherings. Local men made the bricks on site, and Benjamin H. House did the carpentry. From 1842 a school district rented the building for classes, and in 1848 a larger district bought the first floor. The interior was divided into two levels, and a stage and Italianate bell cupola were added around mid-century. The church used the second floor until it built a new church next door in 1872; the upper floor then served as a public hall. Classes continued until 1949, the school closed in 1951, and the building has since been used for storage. It is the only remaining public building from a former milling community and is considered a rare late Federal style meeting house in western New York.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is the only remaining building from North Bloomfield's early history and the only surviving public building of a once prosperous nineteenth-century mill community. It is also described as the oldest and longest continually used school structure in the area. Architecturally, it is a distinctive and rare example of a late Federal style meeting house in western New York.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 81000409, listed May 28, 1981. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 7840 Martin Rd., North Bloomfield |
|---|---|
| County | Livingston County |
| Listed | May 28, 1981 |
| Reference number | 81000409 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Carpentry by Benjamin H. House; bricks made on site by Messrs. Chambers, Burton, and Bond |
| Architectural style | Federal style meeting house, with a mid-century Italianate cupola/bell tower |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Closed as a school in 1951 and since used as a storage facility; the form's classification checks it as occupied and public, with educational use. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.93760, -77.57830 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 81000409.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7054209
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.